Grow Your Own Magazine

I have been in my house for 2 years now and getting to know the pretty mature garden I got with it. I have a bush at the back of the garden which I think is redcurrants. They look like redcurrants and they're lovely and ripe right now. But how do I know they really are redcurrants?

I don't want to sound totally without knowledge but I don't really want to eat them and end up buried with the berries...

Any pointers?

Thanks

Welcome to the grapevine! Take a look at www.berryscotland.com/berry_redcurrant.htm

__________________
[

or here then you can compare with blackcurrants

Soft Fruit

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Sorry Nick how could I forget about your currants??

__________________
[

Hello Lisbet, does it smell like a currant ? Taste one, does it taste like a currant. I would say if it looks like currant, smells like currant and tastes like a currant then the chances are it is a currant.

Well, thanks guys, especially Nick as my currants look just like that but perhaps a bit redder

So I'll now try Alice's advice and look at them, then taste them, and if I wake up in the morning, I'll go with the idea that they probably are redcurrants.

Phew!

I'm so chuffed to get a quick reply I'm now thinking I'll post a thread about the blasted blackfly I have on my beautiful cherry tree... grrrrr

Thanks again guys!

LisBet

Mine aren't ripe yet Lisbet so that's why they aren't red. To be honest I'm stunned I've got any as the birds usually pick ther own before me

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Hmmmm, I'm starting to feel left out now - I've got no berries at all on my redcurrant (and no signs of any either!). My blackcurrants have fruit, but my redcurants - zilch!

Slug

Hi Slug, i've already picked my redcurrents but my blackcurrent bushes are laden down with fruit but they're as green as grass. How old is your red current bush?

I'm thinking I'm going to pick all the redcurrants tomorrow evening and freeze them - perhaps make redcurrant jelly... yum.

I remember last year they pretty much all got eaten in a night or two! Not risking that again, now that I know they are yummy grub.

Anyone have a great recipe for redcurrants?

Hi Bramble,

Well, I'm not sure how old my redcurrant bush is as I bought it at the garden centre this year I know I'm being impatient expecting it to fruit the year I plant it, but it was because my black currant was fruiting (planted at the same time and bought from the same garden centre), that I expected the red currant to do the same.

My plants are around 4ft tall at the moment and growing quite healthily. Perhaps I missed the crop this year - I'll wait with anticipation for next year instead....

Hi Slug, good luck and don't be too impatient. They will produce fruit just you wait and see.